Ingredients
4 thin cut pork chops about 1 and 1/2 pounds total
½ teaspoon salt divided
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
10.5 -ounce french onion soup
6 -ounce mushroom steak sauce I used this. Or, substitute if needed > French onion soup or canned au jus gravy
1 and ½ cup water
1 pouch Boil in the bag Minute rice regular or whole grain, I used this
Instructions
Heat pan to medium high
Season both sides of pork chops with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
When pan is hot, add oil
When oil is hot, add pork chops
Cook 3 to 4 minutes, depending on thickness, on each side.
Remove pork chops from pan. (You will add them back in a few minutes.)
Remove the uncooked rice from bag and toast in the pan in drippings for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Add french onion soup, mushroom steak sauce and water to pan with rice.
Stir and remove and rice that may have stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Bring to a low boil.
Cook uncovered 16 to 18 minutes or until rice is done.
Add pork chops back into pan and heat through.
Taste and add 1/4 teaspoon salt if necessary.
Key Points About Ingredients:
- Thin-cut pork chops are key to this recipe — they cook quickly and stay tender, making them ideal for fast weeknight meals without sacrificing flavor.
- French onion soup doubles as a deeply savory braising liquid for the rice, infusing every grain with rich, caramelized onion flavor without any extra prep.
- Mushroom steak sauce adds an umami-rich depth that elevates this humble one-pot dish to something that tastes far more complex than its simple ingredient list suggests.
- Toasting the Minute rice in the pork drippings for just one minute before adding liquid is a small step that adds a nutty, deep flavor to the finished dish.
- Boil-in-bag Minute rice is specifically designed to cook evenly in this timeframe — using regular long-grain rice would require significantly more liquid and time.
Key Nutritional Insights:
- Pork chops are an excellent source of high-quality protein and B vitamins, particularly B6 and B12, supporting energy metabolism and muscle maintenance.
- Each serving provides a meaningful amount of zinc and selenium from the pork, both important antioxidant minerals that support immune function.
- Using vegetable oil rather than butter keeps saturated fat moderate, though the French onion soup and steak sauce contribute a notable amount of sodium per serving.
- The rice provides easily digestible carbohydrates for quick energy, and choosing the whole grain Minute rice option would add additional fiber and micronutrients.
- This dish is relatively calorie-moderate for a complete protein-and-carb meal, making it a practical choice for families balancing nutrition and convenience.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size1
- Amount per serving
- Calories480
- Standard DV% Daily Value*
- Total Fat18 g72 g25%
- Saturated Fat4.5 g20 g22.5%
- Trans Fat0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat6 g
- Monounsaturated Fat6.5 g
- Cholesterol95 mg300 mg31.67%
- Sodium1180 mg2300 mg51.3%
- Total Carbohydrate40 g275 g14.55%
- Dietary Fiber1 g28 g3.57%
- Total Sugars4 g
- Added Sugars2 g50 g4%
- Sugar Alcohal0 g
- Protein38 g50 g76%
- Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol)12 mcg20 mcg60%
- Calcium28 mg1300 mg2.15%
- Iron2.8 mg18 mg15.56%
- Potassium620 mg4700 mg13.19%
- Vitamin A95 mcg900 mcg10.56%
- Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)2 mg90 mg2.22%
- Vitamin E (Tocopherol)1.2 mg15 mg8%
- Vitamin K4 mcg120 mcg3.33%
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)0.9 mg1.2 mg75%
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)0.4 mg1.3 mg30.77%
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin)9.5 mg16 mg59.38%
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)0.85 mg1.7 mg50%
- Folate18 mcg400 mcg4.5%
- Vitamin B12 (Cobalamine)0.9 mcg2.4 mcg37.5%
- Biotin5 mcg30 mcg16.67%
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)1.2 mg5 mg24%
- Choline90 mg550 mg16.36%
- Phosphorus340 mg1250 mg27.2%
- Iodine5 mcg150 mcg3.33%
- Magnesium38 mg420 mg9.05%
- Zinc3.8 mg11 mg34.55%
- Selenium42 mcg55 mcg76.36%
- Copper0.12 mg0.9 mg13.33%
- Manganese0.6 mg2.3 mg26.09%
- Chromium4 mcg35 mcg11.43%
- Molybdenum8 mcg45 mcg17.78%
- Chloride320 mg2300 mg13.91%
